Sink
by scarlet-widow-witch
Summary: Artemis contemplates some things during training with her father, one-shot. Warning: This is a kind of sad and it's rated T because I possess the paranoia of a bat
1. Chapter 1

The impact hurt. The wind was knocked out of her the second her back hit the water. Sink or swim, her father's words echoed in her head as she desperately grasped at the water. She was flailing about in the water, her lungs were burning and she knew she would pass out soon if she did not break the surface. She concentrated and began to kick her legs and she moved her arms pushing the water away from herself as she finally broke the surface, feeling her lungs fill with the sweet scent of pine trees.

She swam to the edge of the lake and pulled herself out. She had barely been out of the water for a minute before she felt herself being thrown in again. She could vaguely make out her father saying, "Sink or swim" before her head was completely submerged in the water. She managed to pull herself out of the water again, but she couldn't help but feel as though she would never truly break the surface.

In some sense she was always sinking, lower and lower. But one day, she would run out of oxygen. And then, she would truly drown. She barely finished the thought before she was, yet again, thrown into the cold and murky lake water.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys! I was just wondering if anyone would want me to make a whole story about Artemis being trained by her dad. If so please tell me! Until then I have another one-shot about Artemis being trained.

His hands were rough and calloused as they latched onto her arms and dragged her to their apartment. He threw her against the front door and growled at her to open it. She managed a small nod before her shaking hands grasped the knob and the door fell open. He stormed past her and she winced when she heard his bedroom door slammed shut. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to prevent the flood of tears she could feel building in the corners of her eyes.

He was mad at her again. He was always mad now, mom was gone, jade was gone, what was there to be happy about? She wrapped her arms around herself and sunk slowly to the floor. Her bottom lip trembled as she silently cried. Her family was gone, broken, damaged beyond repair. All she wanted was her mom to hold her, her sister to tease her, she just wanted somebody to be there for her.

She was practically in the fetal position when she heard her father's heavy footfalls from down the hall. She quickly wiped her eyes and stood up, Crocks aren't supposed to be weak or cry. When her father finally did emerge he threw a large gym bag at her and then walked to the front door without saying a word. She silently followed him out and shut the door behind her.

It had been a silent car ride, followed by more and more silence until they reached a run done looking building. The walls were stained, cracked and covered with graffiti. And the floor was even worse. Artemis crinkled her nose against the god-awful smell that assaulted her. Her father simply stopped in front of her and put his fists up. She got the message pretty quickly and got in a stance that mirrored her father's. She made the first move, swinging her left fist in the direction of his face, he easily blocked and landed a right hook in her side before sweeping her feet out from under her. Her head hit the ground with a thud that echoed through the building.

"Up." He grunted roughly. Artemis whimpered as she got to her feet. She barely had her fists back up when he slammed his fist into her stomach and brought a foot up to kick her in the face. She hit the floor again and spit blood out on the floor. She ground her teeth together to fight the rage that was rising in her chest. She managed to push herself, but she got in her stance faster this time. The next fist he sent flying her way was blocked and returned. She managed to land a kick to his gut before he sent her flying with the force of a punch to the nose. As she sat up trying to cover her bleeding nose, she saw her father give her a small twisted smirk.

"That kick actually hurt baby girl, good work, Jade could've done better, but still." She nodded and stood up as he got back into his previous position. She in turn planted her feet, raised her fists, and hoped that no one at school would care about the bruises she could already feel forming on her body. But then again, this was Gotham, no one gave a shit about you in Gotham.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 1: You may be crooked, but my arrow's not

 **This is the official first chapter of the fanfic, I'd like to point out that the other two one-shots are from the past, this story is starting at Artemis being like 13. She's coming into her own and starting to create the snarky, sarcastic personality we all know and love. Please enjoy!**

Artemis aimed her arrow as straight as she possibly could and pulled the string back with all her might, launching the arrow at the target with precise aim and deadly force. She smirked triumphantly as the arrow hit its mark, it **always** hit it's mark these days. She put her bow and quiver down next to her feet and shook her hands out. They were calloused and bruised from how often she had been practicing. She did a couple of stretches to help her aching body and began to pack up. She had been training all day, all she wanted to do was rest. Unfortunately though, that didn't seem likely. Artemis was just about to walk out the door when her father walked in giving her his "famous" twisted smirk and semi-glare.

"Where do you think you're going baby girl?" Artemis grit her teeth and tried to walk past him. Her mistake. Her father stuck an arm out and shoved her back so hard that she hit the ground with a small grunt. Her father let out a humorless laugh and bent down in front of her. "I asked you a question."

"I'm going home." Artemis replied shortly, pushing herself up and off the ground. Lawrence simply shoved her right back into the ground.

"No you're not. You're going to stay here, and shoot that little bow and arrow of yours until I decide you can go home." Artemis once again gritted her teeth, but this time she simply nodded and stood back up. She repositioned her quiver on her back and adjusted her bow in her hand. She notched another arrow, and watched it fly right into the bullseye of the target. Her father walked up and inspected it as Artemis regained her smug smile. The smile disappeared instantly after hearing her father's words. "It's a little crooked. Try again."

Artemis tried not to start screaming and began notching another arrow. And that's how her night went, she shot an arrow, her father criticized her, and she shot another arrow. An hour later, and all of her shots still weren't "good enough," and her fingers were practically numb while her arms screamed out in pain. She shot another arrow and it landed perfectly on the target, she was absolutely positive that even her father couldn't criticize it. She was wrong. Again. "Still a little crooked, baby girl, better improve that aim of yours." Her father said sneering in her direction. And that's when the dam broke.

"No." She growled angrily. Her father turned and opened his mouth to speak, but Artemis cut him off. "My aim is **not** off, I **don't** need anymore practice, and just because you're crooked doesn't mean my arrows are. I'm going to go home now, so goodnight." Later on, when she's lying on her bed, nursing bruised ribs, she'll wonder why she thought that would work. Her father grabbed her arm threw her on the ground and stomped his boot down on her torso, hard. She cried out in pain as it seeped into her chest and ribs

"Listen baby girl, you don't **ever** talk to me like that again, and you go home when I say you can. Now go, you're no use to me with broken ribs." Artemis whimpered, she hated whimpering it made her feel weak, and scrambled off the floor, practically running out the door. And if you ever asked her, she'll swear up and down she didn't cry herself to sleep that night. She always was a fantastic liar.

 **what do you think? Horrible? Hooray-worthy? You know, I heard they created this thing called a review button, it's really cool, maybe you guys should check it out... ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! I know, I know, I suck for not updating sooner, but school, clubs, everything just got hectic. It's a horrible excuse, but there it is. Without further ado, please enjoy this chapter. I own nothing, if I did, Chalant would be huge in Season 2 of YJ.**

Her eyes stay trained on the target. Her father had her perched on a ledge above the target's apartment. She was supposed to shoot him if he got past the lobby. Her hands were strong and steady on the bow as she knelt on the cold stone of the balcony. Her eyes never stray from her target's building, but her thoughts do. She wonders if she should feel bad about this, if she should be crying hysterically over the prospect of being a murderer. But Jade wouldn't cry or whine, Artemis grits her teeth at the thought. Jade would be able to do this without a second thought, she would shoot and never look back. Artemis unclenches her teeth and frowns. Does she really want to be like her sister? Does she want to shoot and not look back? What kind of life is that? Taking other people's lives and never being able to live your own, because how could you possibly live happily knowing what you've done? Artemis thinks back to her mother, she certainly isn't happy living in a cold dark prison cell with limp legs and only unseen mental demons to keep her company.

The com in her ear crackles with life and she snaps back to attention. "Alright baby girl, time to shine, he went down the north staircase and is about to make a beeline for the front door, I need you to cut him off." Artemis takes a deep, somewhat shaky breath before replying.

"Understood." She mutters quietly.

"Don't disappoint me Artemis." She bites her cheek to keep from replying and waits for the line to go dead once more. She waits for the staircase door to open impatiently, but then something occurs to her. Lawrence Crusher Crock is one of the fastest, most athletic men alive and their target is some tech guy who never leaves his office, he wouldn't be able to outrun her father. She's been set up, this is just another test. Artemis growls in frustration and the door to the stairwell opens right on cue. She has a ten-second window before this guy makes his way out of her range.

10, she should kill him, pass her test and please her father.

9, she hates all these hoops she had to jump through, all these tests she must pass.

8, her sister would do it.

7, her mother would've also done it, and look where mom is now.

6, it's just one simple kill.

5, no kill is ever simple.

4, she was raised and trained for this.

3, she's still not completely prepared for this.

2, ugh just shoot the fucking arrow!

1, just shoot, you know what you have to do.

Her arrow is aimed and fired in record time and it hits the target beautifully. The man falls to the ground clutching his calf and the arrow sticking out of it. He looks around wildly before pulling out the arrow and limping away. She smiles victoriously and rips her com out, she leaves it on the ground and starts climbing down the fire escape.

Her bruised shoulder, sprained wrist, and concussion make it hard to function for the next month. But she thinks the satisfaction she got from making her own choice makes up for the almost unbearable pain.

 **Reviews are like a box of chocolates, each one is amazing and different. And everyboydy loves them! (including me).**


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